Brandon Spikes, Patriots linebacker, true to form

Friday

Oct 5, 2012 at 6:00 AM

Brandon Spikes did what he has the ability to do best last week against the Bills, and that’s to energize the Patriots’ defense. “The whole time on the sideline, I’m always preaching, ‘Somebody make a play. Don’t sit back and wait for the next man to do it,’ ” the Patriots middle linebacker said yesterday.

By Jennifer Toland TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Brandon Spikes did what he has the ability to do best last week against the Bills, and that’s to energize the Patriots’ defense.

“The whole time on the sideline, I’m always preaching, ‘Somebody make a play. Don’t sit back and wait for the next man to do it,’ ” the Patriots middle linebacker said yesterday. “One guy makes a play, it goes through the whole defense. You can feel the energy, you can see it.”

Spikes delivered that vitalizing whack late in the first half against Buffalo, causing Bills running back C.J. Spiller to fumble at the goal line. The turnover turned momentum the Patriots’ way.

In the fourth quarter, Spikes knocked the ball from running back Fred Jackson, with that fumble leading to a decisive Patriots score.

“It was just form tackling,” Spikes said. “I was taught to hit the ball and try to separate it from the man, so that’s what I was able to do. It went well that game.”

Spikes finished with a team-high 11 tackles.

Spikes, in his third NFL season, ranks second on the team with 30 tackles.

A four-game suspension in his rookie year and knee issues limited Spikes to 20 regular-season games (14 starts) his first two seasons. He did start all three postseason games in 2011. Spikes missed the start of training camp while recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Finally healthy, he has shown his strengths as a run stopper and hard hitter, while continuing to work on his pass coverage.

“I still have a lot of work to do,” Spikes said. “I feel like, as far as my performance, I’ve been inconsistent. So if I can start to do all the little things and get better every week, I feel like I could have a great season.”

Also in the Buffalo game, Spikes delivered another crushing blow, that one to Bills tight end Scott Chandler during a Devin McCourty interception return.

Spikes thinks his big hits can intimidate opponents.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve done anything illegal. I’ve tried to keep it legal, but I just want to kind of make a point when I hit a guy, I want him to say, ‘Oh, that was Spikes that hit me. I know that already.’ ”

There was good news for the Patriots’ offense yesterday as tight end Aaron Hernandez returned to the practice field for the first time since he suffered an ankle injury in the Sept. 16 game against the Cardinals.

Hernandez was a limited participant.

Fellow tight ends Rob Gronkowski (hip) and Michael Hoomanawanui (concussion) were also on the practice field on a limited basis after missing Wednesday’s practice.

Yesterday, Gostkowski said he’s maintaining confidence in himself as well.

“Mentally, I’ve conditioned myself to move on,” he said. “I keep working hard. I keep doing the same things. If I keep my focus high and my concentration high, things are going to work out.”

Gostkowski, the most accurate field goal kicker in team history, missed from 42 and 49 yards against the Bills. Those miscues, of course, came on the heels of his missed 42-yarder, which would have been a game-winner, in Week 2 against the Cardinals.

Gostkowski went 4 for 4 with a career-long 53-yarder before booting that last try wide left with seven seconds to play.

On the year, Gostkowski is 10 of 13 on field goals, 14 of 14 on PATs.

“I make a lot more kicks than I miss,” he said, “and I have to have that confidence going into each kick.”

Defensive end Chandler Jones was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September. Over his first four NFL starts, Jones had 17 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. … The Broncos lead the league with a plus-45 scoring differential in the fourth quarter of games this season.